game isn’t just a hacker or a prankster. They’re knowledgeable and powerful." Vanda leaned in, trying to make sense of the data flashing by. "Can you trace who did this? Who accessed the game last?" Elise paused, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. "It’s tricky. The intruder masked their tracks well, but not perfectly. I captured a partial digital signature before everything went haywire." She ran a decryption program, and slowly, a string of data began to form a coherent address. "Got something," she announced. "It's not much, but it might lead us to our code thief." Maya peered over Elise’s shoulder. "What’s that location? Looks familiar." "It's an address in the tech district," Elise replied, pulling up a map on another screen. "Not far from here. It’s registered to a small, independent tech developer. Calls himself 'The Architect.'" Vanda’s mind raced. "The Architect? I’ve heard that name before in my gaming circles. He’s supposed to be some kind of genius coder, but no one seems to know much about him." "Well, we're about to find out," Elise said as she grabbed her keys. "Let’s pay him a visit." Driving to the address, the trio felt a mix of anticipation and apprehension. The building they arrived at was nondescript, blending in with the other startup hubs and tech offices in the area. They entered through the main lobby, which was quiet with the evening setting in. Finding the suite number Elise had traced, they hesitated before Maya pushed the door open.
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